Rack.



W. P. HAMMOND.

, RACK. APPLIOATION FILED JAN.13. 191a. RENEWED DBO. 16, 1914.

Patented Mar. 9, 1915.

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WILLIAM P. HAMMOND, OF CHARLESTOWN, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, 'I'O UNITED SHOE MACHINERY COMPANY, OF PATEBSON, NEVT JERSEY, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

BACK.

Application filed. January 13, 1913, Serial No. 741,627. Renewed December 16, 1914.

T 0 all whom it may concern.

Be it known that T, WILLIAM F. HAM- MOND, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Charlestown, in the county of Suffolk and State of Massachusetts, have invented an Improvement in Racks, of which the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification, like characters on the drawings representing like parts.

This invention relates to racks, and more particularly to shoe racks such as are used in factories for receiving and conveying the shoes from place to place during the process of the manufacture of the shoes.

The character of the invention may be best understood by reference to the following description of an illustrative embodiment thereof shown in the accompanying drawing, wherein:

Figure 1 is a side elevation partly in section of an illustrative shoe rack shown herein as embodying the invention; Fig. 2 is an end elevation of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 on an enlarged scale is a section taken on line 33 of Fig. 2; and. Fig. 4; is a section taken on line 4.-l of Fig. 3.

Referring to the drawing, the illustrative rack there shown as embodying the invention comprises a base frame 1 including longitudinal side bars 3 conveniently of angle iron. Mounted on said base frame are end frames 5 each comprising upright bars 7 preferably of angle iron. The upright bars are connected and held in proper spaced relation by diagonal cross bars 9 adjacent the lower end of the end frame and by an iron tube 11 at the upper end of the frame. To provide a rigid connection between the tube 11 and upright bars 7 the tube is slotted to receive the inturned legs of the angle bars and is connected thereto by rivets 13.

The end frames may be pivoted to the base frame and may be held in their upright positions by braces 15 pivoted to said base frame and detachably connected to said end frames. By this construction the end frames may be rocked from their upright positions down toward said base frame and lie in close relation thereto, as disclosed and claimed in my copending application, Serial No. 731,106 filed November 13, 1912. To permit the rack to be readily rolled from place Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 2, 1215.

Serial No. 877,502.

to place the base frame is provided with suitable casters 16.

The end frames are intended to support a series of shelves 17, each conveniently of wood and comprising side strips 19 connected by removable cross partitions 21 to divide the shelf into pockets for receiving and separating the shoes. To support the shelves the upright bars 7 of the end frames are provided with corner brackets 23. These will leave the end frames sufficiently open to permit the ready insertion and removal of the shelves as desired.

Shoe racks are subjected to very severe treatment and as they are rolled from place to place over rough floors the shelves are liable to be dislodged from said end frames unless they are securely held to their brackets.

An important feature of the invention relates to simple and efiective means common to the shelves for securing the same in place on their supporting brackets. To this end each end frame may be provided with a vertical bar or tube 27 having its upper end journaled in an aperture in the top cross tube 11 of the end frame preferably at a point midway between the ends of said tube. The lower end of the tube 27 is supported on an operating lever 28 conveniently of angle iron and having one end pivoted to one of the upright bars 7 and the other end connected to actuating means to be described. To provide a swivel connection of the tube 27 with the operating lever 28 a short tube 29 (Fig. 3) is slotted and riveted to said operating lever and projects upwardly into the lower end of the tube 27. To support the tube 27 on the short tube 29 and limit the rotative adjustment of the tube 27, the short tube 29 is provided with opposed transverse slots 31 each extending through an arc of 90 degrees and receiving a rivet 33 entered through the tube 27 The tube 27 is provided at intervals with locking elements for cooperation with the ends of the shelves to hold the latter on their brackets, said elements being typified herein as angle steps or projections 35 curved to conform to the contour of said tube and rigidly connected thereto by suitable rivets. ()ne of these angle steps and preferably the uppermost step 37 is provided with a depending hook end 39 for engagement with the inner face of the end of the shelf. Tubes 27 and angle steps are provided for each end frame. Therefore, when the hook angle steps are set in place, as in Fig. 1, they will effectively resist spreading or springing of the end frames apart and thereby contribute to the rigidity of the structure.

In releasing the angle steps from the shelves to permit the removal of the latter from the rack, the tubes 27 are first adj usted axially vertically sufficiently for the angle hooks 37 to clear the uppermost shelf, and then the tubes are rotated through an arc of 90 degrees to swing the angle steps away from the shelves to their positions shown in Fig. 2. These rotative adjustments of the tubes are limited by the rivets 33 and transverse slots 31, referred to.

I will now describe means for adjusting the tubes vertically and securing the same in shelf locking positions. To this end the free end of each tube operating lever 28 is connected by a link 41 to a crank 43 pivoted on one of the upright bars 7. The link 41 is connected to the crank at a point a short distance from the pivot of said crank. The crank is free to rock a sufiicient distance .to carry the link 41 beyond dead center and hold the crank against one of the legs of the upright angle bars 7 as shown in Fig. 2.

When it is desired to lock the shelves the tube is turned to bring the angle steps over the ends of the shelves. The crank 43 is then rocked downward, drawing with it the link 41 and rocking the operating lever 28. This pulls the tube 27 downward and causes the angle steps to press firmly against the upper edges of the ends of the shelves. The shelves, being of wood, have more or less inherent resilience or give, and the operating lever 28 has more or less resilience. As a result, the crank 43 may be rocked or sprung past its dead center and the inherent resilience of the parts will cause the crank to be pressed firmly against the leg of the upright bar 7 and securely hold the angle steps down against the shelves and thereby lock the latter on to their brackets. In some cases it may be desirable to supplement the inherent resilience of the parts by providing a spring 45 in the link 41. This will insure the crank 43 against inadvertent rocking to releasing position.

To unlock the shelves the cranks 43 are rocked in a clockwise direction (Fig. 2) out of engagement with the upright angle bars, thereby tilting the operating levers 28 upward and moving the tubes 27 vertically upward to lift the hook angle brackets 37 up out of engagement with the ends of the top shelf. The tubes may then be grasped by the hand of the operator and readily turned to swing the angle steps out of line with the shelves. The latter may be then readily removed. Preferably the crank and link locking devices for the end frames are located on diagonally opposite uprights 7. This arrangement permits the exact duplication of the parts without the necessity of making right and left constructions, thereby contributing to facility and economy of manufacture.

By my invention it is not necessary to separately adjust each locking element for each shelf, but on the contrary all of the locking elements for the ends of the shelves on each of the end frames may be secured or released by a single operation. The angle step carrying tubes are strong and rigid and contribute to the strength and pleasing appearance of the rack, and also by their smooth, rounded contours afford means which may be conveniently grasped in moving the rack from place to place.

Having described one embodiment of the invention, without limiting the same thereto, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. A rack comprising, in combination, uprights having provision for supporting shelves; elements for holding said shelves in place; and a member common to said elements having provision permitting axial and rotative movement thereof to adjust said elements into and out of securing position.

2. A rack comprising, in combination, uprights having provision for supporting shelves; locking elements for the latter; a 1 member common to said elements; a rocking arm connected to said member; a link connected to said arm; and a crank connected to said link for operating the same.

3. A rack comprising, in combination, up- 105 rights having provision for supporting shelves; locking elements for holding said shelves in place; a member common to said elements; an arm pivoted to one of said uprights; a crank pivoted to another of said 1 uprights; a link connecting said arm with the crank, said parts being constructed and arranged to permit said crank to be rocked and held in looking position.

4. A rack comprising, in combination, up- 1 rights having provision for supporting shelves between them; locking elements for said shelves; and tubes secured to said elements and having rotative and sliding connections permitting the adjusting of said 120 elements to locking and releasing positions.

5. A shoe rack comprising in combination, upright frames; shelf-supporting brackets distributed at intervals along said frames;

a member extending along each frame com- 125 men to the shelves on said brackets; and elements on said member for engagement with said shelves, said member having provision permitting the adjustment of said elements to and from positions for preventing the 330 dislocation of said shelves from said brackets.

6. A shoe rack comprising in combination, a base frame; upright frames pivotally connected thereto and having provision permitting the collapsing thereof toward said base frame; brackets distributed at intervals along said upright frames for supporting removable shelves; a member extending along each frame common to the shelves; and elements on said member for engagement with said shelves, said member having provision permitting the adjustment of said elements to and from positions for preventing the dislocation of said shelves from said brackets.

7. In a shoe rack, the combination of upright frames each comprising side bars and cross bars connecting said side bars; brackets distributed at intervals along said side bars for supporting removable shelves; a member connected to said cross bars common to the shelves; and elements on said member for engagement with said shelves, said member having provision permitting the adjustment of said elements to and from positions for preventing the dislocation of said shelves from said brackets.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

WILLIAM P. HAMMOND.

Witnesses:

HENRY T. WILLIAMS, ROBERT I'I. KAMMLER.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of latenta, Washington, D. 43. 

